1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and method, and more particularly, to image forming technology suitable for an image forming apparatus, such as an inkjet recording apparatus which forms images on a recording medium by ejecting liquid droplets from nozzles.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an inkjet recording head of a recording apparatus, it has been proposed to use an electrorheological fluid in order to prevent bleeding and color mixing of ink, and the like, on the recording medium (see Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2-169253, 2-212149 and 5-4343).
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-169253 discloses an image forming material which is an electrorheological fluid in which a coloring material is dispersed or dissolved in an insulating solvent. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-212149 discloses an image forming method in which an electrorheological fluid comprising a coloring material dispersed in an insulating solvent is used, and an electric field is applied to the recording medium (recording member). Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-4343 discloses a recording apparatus comprising a recording head which applies a recording liquid having electrorheological properties and a device for creating an electric field on the surface to which a recording liquid has been applied.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-169253 discloses technology for preventing satellite droplets by raising the viscosity of the ink by applying an electric field in the vicinity of the orifices; however, it makes no mention of the behavior of the liquid after deposition.
Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2-212149 and 5-4343 disclose the use of an electrorheological fluid as an ink and the application of an electric field to the recording medium; however, the object thereof is to suppress bleeding by preventing permeation into the recording paper, and no consideration is given to landing interference, color mixing, or the like, in a case where a non-permeable recording medium (or a recording medium of low permeability) is used.
Moreover, there has been a problem in that when the ink hardens and fixes on the surface of a non-permeable recording medium (or a recording medium of low permeability), undulations remain on the printed surface (the surface of the ink) and the resulting image loses glossiness.